swelling

noun

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swell·ing | \ ˈswe-liŋ

Definition of swelling

1 : something that is swollen specifically : an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement

2 : the condition of being swollen

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Examples of swelling in a Sentence

There was a swelling above her eye. The swelling around her eye should subside in a few days.

Recent Examples on the Web Symptoms of the cancer typically include pain around the site of the tumor (including swelling and redness), weight loss, fatigue or even paralysis. — Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, "Philadelphia Flyers' Oskar Lindblom Diagnosed with Rare Cancer: 'Every Win' Is 'for Him'," 18 Dec. 2019 Compression garments and anti-inflammatory drugs can ease the swelling, and electric pumps can push the fluid along, but neither provides a long-lasting solution. — Eva Frederick, Science | AAAS, "Lymph vessels on a chip reveal possible new drug target for lymphedema," 13 Dec. 2019 The most common symptoms of are persistent swelling, presence of a mass or pain in the area of the breast implant that may occur years after implant placement, the FDA said. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, "FDA says breast implants need higher warnings due to cancer risk: 'Many women are not fully informed'," 23 Oct. 2019 These medications are used in people who have osteoarthritis because the disease frequently leads to joint pain, tenderness and swelling, especially in the hands, knees, hips and spine. — Mayo Clinic News Network, chicagotribune.com, "Treating osteoarthritis with corticosteroid injections," 4 Oct. 2019 Even just the swelling or the shock that your body just went through. — Sally Holmes, Marie Claire, "Why Khloé Kardashian Designed Maternity Activewear for Women to Wear During and After Pregnancy," 17 May 2019 Gun piercing is also a one-size-fits-all approach, which has its downsides as earrings cannot be lengthened to accommodate excessive swelling or thicker lobes — and the consequence is a poor result. — Fiona Ward, refinery29.com, "The “Curated Ear” Trend Is All Over Instagram — But Is It Safe?," 14 Jan. 2020 Investigators say the infant suffered head trauma, which led to brain swelling and other complications. — Mike Schell, Cincinnati.com, "Warren Co. father pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter in death of 2-month-old son," 5 Jan. 2020 The risk of small swellings and bleeds in the brain would require MRIs to assess safety, which would increase the need for clinicians skilled in interpreting the scans and adjusting treatment plans. — Jason Karlawish, STAT, "Aducanumab isn’t the simple solution to the complicated Alzheimer’s crisis," 20 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swelling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swelling. Accessed 24 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for swelling

swelling

noun

English Language Learners Definition of swelling

: an area on someone's body that is larger than normal because of an illness or injury

: the condition of being larger than normal

See the full definition for swelling in the English Language Learners Dictionary

swelling

noun

swell·ing | \ ˈswe-liŋ \

Kids Definition of swelling

: a swollen lump or part

swelling

noun

swell·ing | \ ˈswel-iŋ-

Medical Definition of swelling

: an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement an inflammatory swelling

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swelling

Definition of swelling

Synonyms for swelling

Examples of swelling in a Sentence

First Known Use of swelling

Learn More about swelling

Dictionary Entries near swelling

Statistics for swelling

English Language Learners Definition of swelling

Kids Definition of swelling